Stars and Snails
by cherryade
Summary: Dean finally explains to Sam where their mother went. Wee!chester.


_And every night I miss you I can just look up and know the stars are holding you, holding you, tonight._

_**Tonight, FM Static**_

The trilling crickets and serenading cicadas combined with the faint rustling of the windblown leaves created an oddly soothing medley of natural music as Sam and Dean trudged through the forest. Dean smirked as Sam trained his too-big torchlight towards the ground, his forehead scrunched up in concentration as he tried to avoid stepping on the snails and lizards that were scattered all across the trail.

A sudden loud crunch brought Dean up short and elicited a horrified gasp from Sam. A ringing silence ensued as Sam stared at Dean with hazel eyes that were glittering with tears.

"You stepped on a snail, Dean!" Sam squealed in his high-pitched six-year-old voice. The torchlight was spotlighted on the remains of a brown snail. Black and greyish goo spilt out of the ruined shell like egg out of its broken shell. Dean was glad for the darkness that enveloped the forest as he rolled his eyes. He adjusted the handgun that he had snitched from the Impala's boot so that it fit snugly on his waist once again before changing his expression to one of horrified apology like a well-practiced actor.

"Oh crap, I'm so sorry, Sammy. I didn't see it," Dean apologized, sarcasm dripping from his words. Sam, however, did not detect it and glared at Dean with reproachful and tear-filled eyes.

"Don't say sorry to me!" he sniffled, "You crushed the snail!"

Dean resisted the urge to roll his eyes as Sam was still glaring at him. Feeling incredibly ridiculous, he hunched over and apologized to the mangled snail as Sam watched on with grief written all over his face. Dean thought Sam was being stupid. It was only a snail, for God's sake! They were going to be killing things much worse than snails when they were of age.

Dean got up and glanced irritably at Sam. Sam was hunched over the snail, covering it with leaves that were bigger than his hands. Dean huffed impatiently but waited until Sam stood up and dragged the back of his muddy hand over his eyes. He suddenly regretted sneaking out of the motel while Dad was steadily drinking himself into alcohol poisoning at the local bar.

_Too late for regrets now_, Dean thought as he absently took his brother's filthy hand in his. He led them along the trail towards a huge clearing that was the venue of a school picnic just two days ago. A pavilion that was surrounded with flowers stood at the edge of a pond. A second moon and a sprinkle of stars was reflected in the calm, glassy waters as Dean led a still sniffling Sam over to the bench in the pavilion.

"Dean, where will the snail go?" Sam interrupted as Dean opened his mouth to speak. Dean suddenly felt breathless as he stared at his brother's red-rimmed eyes. They had reached the topic Dean had brought Sam here to discuss.

"Can you see the stars, Sammy?" Dean asked as he pointed at them. Sam nodded and eyed his brother curiously. "That's where it went." Just then, a bright streak of light raced across the velvet sky.

"Did you see that, Dee?" Sam squealed, his previous sadness forgotten. Dean smiled as he nodded, "Yeah, there it is. It's gone to join the other snails." Sam giggled happily as he stared wondrously at the many stars that were scattered across the sky.

Dean took a deep breath as he watched Sammy. It was hard, but he had to make Sam understand.

"Sammy, d'you know what day it is?" Dean questioned, his voice trembling. Sam looked at Dean innocently.

"You okay?" Sam asked with concern as he scooted closer to Dean. Dean smiled ruefully.

"No, Sammy. I'm not okay," he choked out as Sam's look of concern became alarmed. "Today's the day." A sudden look of understanding dawned on Sam's young face. He picked Dean's limp arm from his lap and draped it around his shoulders as he snuggled closer to his brother. Dean tightened his hold around him.

"Mommy's missing," he muttered as Dean shook his head.

"No, Sammy. Mommy's not missing," Dean replied as gently as he could, although his voice trembled, "She's up there, with the stars."

"With the snails too?" Sam asked, his voice quiet.

Dean nodded.

"With the snails too."

**19 years later…**

Sam was perched on the roof on the Impala. Dean was off in a local bar down the road, drinking himself silly and he refused to take the car for fear of crashing his 'precious baby'. He clutched a bottle of beer as he stared at the stars. He felt numb as the reality of his father's death forced him to take another swig.

He thought about the times where he fought with his father, how the last time he talked to him was to quibble about something that seemed so small now. He thought about how he taught him all he knew now. He thought about how he was recovered one day and dead the next.

Just then, a streak of light zipped across the sky. Unbidden, memories from the past resurfaced. He watched as the meteor faded into the darkness and smiled.


End file.
